Fulcrum
by Raven-Renae-Lynn
Summary: Ahsoka Tano, former Jedi Padwan, thought she knew what she was getting into when she pledged herself to protect Princess Allura of Altea. But when she and the last two Alteans alive wake up after ten thousand years, she discovers how wrong she was. Especially after meeting the new red paladin.
1. 1

Altea was burning.

And Ahsoka Tano, former padwan of the Jedi Order, watched as it happened.

She stood on the main bridge of the Castle of Lions with the remaining two members of the Royal Altean Family, King Alfor and Princess Allura as well as their adviser, Coran as Galran ships fired on Altea, killing those who lived there.

Those who were left anyway.

A hologram came up on the ship's mainframe, showing the monster they were fighting.

King Alfor growled. "Zarkon."

"Your fleet has been destroyed Alfor, I will be there shortly to claim Voltron."

The hologram disappeared, and a shot from a Galra ship replaced it. As the Castle shook at the impact, Allura turned and faced her father. "Father, we must form Voltron and fight before it's too late."

Ahsoka pursed her lips. "With what Paladins? We can't pilot Voltron with just the four of us."

"Ahsoka right, and it's already too late. We must send the lions away, we can't risk them falling into Zarkon's hands."

Allura shook her head. "We can't give up hope!"

The former Jedi Padwan moved to comfort her friend/charge, but King Alfor beat her to it. "I'm sorry Daughter. If all goes well, I will see you again soon."

He performed Altean alchemy that made Allura lose conscious, sweeping her up before she hit the ground. King Alfor then turned his adviser and Ahsoka. "Come with me."

The two shared a look before doing as Alfor instructed. And when they reached the medical wing of the Castle, Ahsoka furrowed the facial markings that served as her eyebrows. "My King-"

Alfor handed Allura to her before setting up a healing pod. "Does your vow still stand?"

When Ahsoka left the Jedi Order, she wandered the galaxy, lost and confused. Allura was on a diplomatic mission when she found the togruta half dead due to starvation and saved her life by bringing her to Altea after hearing her tale. After that, she vowed her loyalty to the princess, and by extension the royal family. "It stands until I die."

A humorless smile crossed the king's face as the healing pod rose from the ground. "There won't be any need for that at the moment."

The healing pod hummed to life as Alfor turned to face Ahsoka. "If all doesn't go well; if Allura is in the healing pods longer than I'm anticipating, She'll need you by her side."

He took his daughter from the former padwan'sarms and set her in the healing pod, regret clouding his features as the pod tucked itself back into the floor. Not looking at Ahsoka, he began setting up another one. "I know this is too much to ask-"

The togrutashook her head. "My vowbounds me to Allura and by extension you for life. Nothing is too much to ask."

When the second pod hummed to life, the King of Altea looked at her. "You will guide her when you both awaken?"

Ahsoka nodded and walked towards the healing pod before stepping inside. "I will."

Alfor smiled bitterly. "Good-bye Ahsoka, please take care of Allura."

The padwan nodded before forming an X with her arms over her chest. "Goodbye my king, and I promise."

The last thing she saw and heard as the healing pod activated was Alfor looking to his advisor. "Coran, come with me."

And then, darkness.

 **-Dream-**

 _The moment she stepped foot back on Coruscant, the padwansighed in relief._ _She was home, and so were the padwans that were stolen._ _Ahsoka was talking to Chewbacca when she heard Anakin for the first time since she was stolen away. "Ahsoka!"_ _She said goodbye to the Wookie and walked towards her master, who gripped both of her shoulders just to make sure she was actually there. Master Plo-Koon was there too. "It is good to see you safe Little 'Soka."_ _When the master walked away, Anakin looked to the ground in guilt. "Ahsoka I am so sorry."_ _The togruta's head tilted to the side. "For what?"_ _"For letting you go, for letting you get taken, it was my fault!"_ _Ahsoka shook her head. "No, Master. It wasn't your fault."_ _Anakin continued to beat himself up. "I should have payed more attention, I should have tried harder! I-"_ _The padwan smiled. "You already did everything you could, everything you had to do. When I was out there alone, all I had was your training and the lessons you taught me. And because of you, I **did** survive. And not only that, I was able to lead others to survive as well."_ _Her master was shocked. "I... don't know what to say."_ _"I do."_ _Ahsoka bowed. "Thank you, Master."_ _Anakin smiled before bowing back. "You're welcome, my padwan."_

 **-End of Dream-**

The togruta's ice blue eyes opened with a start. "Anakin!'

She fell forward away from the healing pod. But before she could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms broke her fall.

"Woah... that's-"

"She's hot!"

"Lance!"

When she looked at the person who caught her, she looked into the most beautiful pair of indigo eyes she has ever seen.

 **Author's Note: I know it's short, but there is a reason for this. I wanted to establish Ahsoka and introduce the storyline.** **Also keep an eye out for Fulcrum's companion fic, Black Panther.** **I'll let you draw your own conclusions about that one ;).**


	2. 2: The Rise of Voltron Pt 1

The boy's indigo irises were swimming with confusion and many other strong emotions as he stared into her own ice blue ones. Ahsoka clenched her eyes shut against the bright lights and the boy's strong emotions as they bounced around her skull. When she opened them again, she looked at the boy's sharp features and noticed something that was probably of importance.

He was human.

And the former Padawan didn't remember there being any humans on Altea during Zarkon's assault.

"Ahsoka?!"

She looked away from the human boy to see the woman who both saved her life and became her best friend. "Allura..."

The Altean ran forward as Ahsoka dragged herself from the human boy's arms and met her in the middle before wrapping their arms around one another.

"Are you all right?! What happened?!"

The Togruta pulled away to look the Princess in the eye. "The last thing I remember is King Alfor putting me in a Healing Pod..."

She trailed off when she realized that the human boy that caught her wasn't alone. There were four more; a short girl with glasses perched on her nose, a tall man with a tuft of white in his hair and metal arm, a boy that was a little more on the bigger side, and a tall/lanky boy with tan skin.

The man with a tuft of white in his hair, Ahsoka didn't need to have the influence of the Force to sense that he had a leader quality to him, stepped forward. "Why don't you tell us who the two of you are? Maybe we can help."

Allura released the ex-padawan but stayed closed to her, and stood tall. "I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea; and this is my bodyguard, Ahsoka Tano."

Ahsoka surveyed the group and suddenly felt a sinking feeling in her chest. "Allura... How long have we been asleep?"

The Altean pursed her lips. "I don't know."

She quickly walked to the control panel, and when Allura's hands touched the panel, it lit up and the hologram came to life. The small girl that was with the group stared at it with wide eyes. "Okay... so that's how that works."

As Allura looked through the systems, the third healing pod dissipated to reveal Coran... who immediately went on defense seeing the castle's new... guests. "Enemy combatants!"

He jumped from his pod towards the lanky boy, who easily moved to avoid the Altean's clumsy attack.

" _Quiznak_! You're lucky I have a case if the old 'sleep chamber knees'! Otherwise, I'd grab your head like this, wrap you up like so; One, two, three, sleepy time!"

"Oh yeah?"

Ahsoka felt her lips tug up into a grin at the quarreling pair before turning away and looking at the control panel just in time to see Allura's face fall. "It... can't be..."

Coran looked towards her. "What is it?"

"We've been asleep for ten thousand years..."

Ahsoka felt time around her freeze.

Ten...

Thousand...

Years...

 _Oh Force everyone I love... Anakin, Nefertara, Padme, Obi-Wan, Plo Koon... They're gone... They're all gone!_

The togruta vaguely registered the lights flickering and everything else beginning to shake as she struggled to regain her breathing. Her hands shook as they slowly clenched into fists, causing sparks to fly from the control panel and the healing pods as they slowly crumbled in on themselves.

"Whoa!"

"What the-"

"Is she doing this?!"

Allura was suddenly standing in front of her and cupped the togruta's face. "Ahsoka, I need you to calm down! Breathe!"

Ahsoka stared at her friend with wide, unseeing eyes. "They're gone... They're gone... They're all gone..."

"Ahsoka!"

The ex-padawan's vision came back into focus. "I can't stay here!"

She ripped herself away from the ivory-haired Altean and ran for the door with no thought where to go.

 _Anywhere but here!_

Pidge's eyes followed the distraught alien girl as she ran out of the room. "Is she okay?"

Allura pursed her lips sadly as she looked at the door her best friend left through. "No. And I don't think she will be anytime soon."

The five earthlings looked at each other in confusion. "How was she able to do that?"

Allura and Coran looked at each other before looking back at their guests. "I'm afraid that it's not our story to tell. She might tell you in time, just not now."

The alien princess sighed before smiling at them. "For now, I believe introductions are in order."

Ahsoka kept running until she was outside the castle. But she didn't look around at the first natural and unfamiliar landscape for the first time in ten thousand years.

No, she was more focused on the familiar power of the Force now running through her.

Because the former padawan has been asleep for ten thousand years, she hasn't felt the Force in said amount of time. She could feel the emotions of Allura and the rest all those present in the Medical Bay, she could feel the quintessence coming from the Castle, and she could feel the pain and death all across the galaxy.

 _It's too much._

Ahsoka screamed, and all around her, the ground shook and cracked at the unleashed power. She fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face, thoughts and memories running through her head like an unwanted sandstorm.

 _I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Anakin..._

She remembered the last time she saw her Master. It was when the Jedi Council asked her to come back after it was discovered her once good friend Barris Offee was the one who attacked the temple.

An offer that she refused.

 _Why did I refuse?_

 **-Flashback-**

 _"Ahsoka! Wait!"_

 _Nefertara's voice echoed off the Jedi Temple Pillars as she and Anakin ran after her._

 _"Ahsoka, we need to talk!"_

 _At the sound of her now former master's voice, the togruta stopped. She turned just in time to see him and Nefertara come to a stop_

 _"Why are you doing this?"_

 _She clenched her eyes shut briefly before opening them again. "The Council didn't trust me, so how can I trust myself?"_

 _"What about me?! Nefertara and I believed in you, we stood by you!"_

 _Her eyebrow-markings furrowed. "I know you both did Anakin, and I'm grateful for that. But this isn't about either of you. I can't stay here any longer... not now."_

 _Anakin shook his head. "The Jedi Order is your life, you can't just throw it away like this! Ahsoka you are making a mistake!"_

 _Ahsoka conceded to that. "Maybe. But I have to sort this out on my own. Without the Council, and without you or Nefertara."_

 _She turned away and heard Nefertara sigh before walking forward to place a hand on her shoulder. "We understand, Ahsoka. You of all people know that we understand wanting to walk away from the Order."_

 _Ahsoka thought back to the Mai and Anakin's secret relationship as she turned to look at her. "I know."_

 _Nefertara smiled sadly before pulling the now ex-padawan into her arms. "You'll always have a home here Snips, remember that."_

 **-End of Flashback-**

 _But I don't anymore Nefertara, now that you're all gone._

A sudden squeaking noise pulled her attention away from her roaring storm of emotions, and the distraught Togruta turned to see four Altean Mice looking at her curiously. Wiping her tears away, Ahsoka managed to spread a shaky smile across her lips as she held her hand out. "Hello little friends."

The mice squeaked happily before crawling into her palm and making their way up her arm. As they consolingly rubbed their soft faces against her lekku and face, the smallest crawled up the former to get in between her Montrails and gripping her headdress and leaning over so it was looking at her upside down. Ahsoka smiled weakly before reaching up and gently scratching it's back. "Looks like we're not the only ones that survived."

Her already weak smile fell from her face as she thought back to the last time she was conscious. She promised King Alfor that she would guide and protect Allura when she woke up, and the princess had become like a sister to her in everything but blood. With everyone she loved wiped away from existence, she and by extension Coran were the only form of a family she had left.

Ahsoka set her face determinedly as she stood up.

 _I failed one family, I'll be damned to the Dark Side of The Force if I let it happen again._

She made her way back to the Med Bay with the mice clinging on to her shoulders and headdress. When the doors opened, Allura immediately looked at her and lit up when she saw the extra passengers clinging to her friend.

"Look who I found."

The princess nearly sprinted towards her as the mice chirped happily at her, gently cupping them in her hands as they moved to her from Ahsoka. "We're not the last ones after all."

The happy moment was interrupted by the control panel turned red and started beeping. Moments later, what looked like a Galra ship appeared on the screen.

"A Galra battleship has set their tracker to us!"

"How did they find us?!"

Tall/lanky frowned. "Not sure, but I bet it's Keith's fault."

The boy who caught her scowled in return. "Say whatever you gotta say to make yourself feel better. After getting us stuck on the other end of a wormhole!"

"I'll stick you in a wormhole!"

Metal Arm pushed the two apart. "Stoy it, cadets! This is no time to place blame, it's time to work as a team." He turned to look at Coran. "How long until they arrive?"

"At their speed? Let's see, carry the two... A couple of days?"

Allura scowled. "Good. Let them come."

At her friend's growled words, Ahoska tried to keep her face schooled into an impassive mask. Allura had every reason to be angry but...

 _But what if her anger blinds her farther along?_

"By the time they get here, you five will have reformed Voltron. And together, we will destroy Zarkon's empire!"

"Princess, there are five of these Lions. How are we going to find the rest?"

Ahsoka looked at Coran, and thought back to those few moments before the healing pod took effect. "Coran, what did King Alfor tell you before he set you in a healing pod?"

The advisor lit up. "The control room!"

Allura looked at the pair brightly. "Of course! Come with me."

The whole group followed the princess out of the Med Bay and through the halls. As they walked, confusion and slight apprehension hung in the air as the group made their way to the main deck, and Ahsoka had a sneaking suspicion that it was aimed towards her.

"You all have questions."

"Yeah, that was you making everything to shake right?"

Ahsoka let her lips tug up into a small grin as she looked at the small girl with glasses. "Well, I can do more than that, but yes." Her grin melted as she cast her eyes to the ground. "I apologize if I scared anyone."

The small girl shook her head. "You didn't scare anyone. If anything it was awesome!" she grinned at the ex-padawan. "My name is Pidge; and that's Shiro, Lance, Hunk, and Keith! We're from Earth."

The boy who caught her, Keith, looked at her with almost unreadable eyes. "What did you mean you could do more than what you did back there?"

Ahsoka smiled enigmatically at him. " _That_ is a story for another time."

Keith frowned but left it at that. When they reached the control room, Allura walked to the dais and let her eyes drift closed as the castle's quintessence force flowed through her.

"King Alfor connected the Lions to Allura's life force. She alone is the key to the Lions' whereabouts."

The princess' eyes shot back open, and a holo-map of the universe filled the control room. All five of the earthlings looked around in amazement at the hologram

"These are coordinates," Pidge observed the holo-image of Arus with furrowed eyebrows. "The Black Lion looks like it's at the same location as the Blue Lion..."

"Look at your primitive synopsis firing away in their little brain cage!"

Allura smiled as Ahsoka shook her head amusedly at the advisor's words. "Very observant. That's because the Black Lion is in the castle."

Coran's previously jovial expression faded away to a more serious mask. "To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alfor locked it in the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present.

"As you have found, the Lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain." Allura shifted the holo-map. "The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times, someone who's men will follow without hesitation. That is why Shiro, you will pilot the Black Lion."

The map shifted again. "The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion."

Ahsoka felt her lips curve upwards at the bright expression on the girl's face, remembering when she herself had mirrored those emotions when she was first taken on as a padawan.

"The Blue Lion-"

Lance cut her off with a smirk. "Hold up, let me guess. Takes the most handsome slash best pilot of the bunch?"

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow-marking. "It's a good thing the Blue Lion _and_ its pilot weren't known for being terribly humble."

Pidge and Hunk burst into laughter, Shiro smiled, and Keith smirked as Lance turned red. Pidge wiped away a tear before smiling at the togruta girl. "I like you."

As the ex-padawan smiled back at the human, Allura allowed her lips to tug up into a small grin at her bodyguard's words before re-composing herself. "The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. Its pilot is one that puts the needs of others above his own, his heart _must_ be mighty. As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together."

Ahsoka chuckled at Hunk's disbelieving look, nodding when he turned his disbelief towards her. _Yes, she means you._

"The Red Lion is temperamental, and the most difficult to master. It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot _needs_ to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone. Keith, you will pilot the Red Lion."

From beside the aforementioned boy, Lance scowled. "What? This guy?"

Ahsoka looked on as the pair scowled at each other before sighing quietly. _This is going to be a recurring pattern, isn't it?_

Keith must have noticed her looking at them, because who broke his glaring contest with Lance to look at her, expression blank. Ahsoka merely raised an eyebrow-marking before turning back to Allura as she spoke.

"Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet... There must be something wrong with the Castle. After ten thousand years, it might need some work."

Coran straightened up. "Don't worry we'll find it soon, they don't call me the Coranic for nothing... It's because it sounds like 'mechanic'. Coranic, mechanic... it doesn't sound exactly alike but it's similar."

Ahsoka smiled. "We understood it Coran, thank you."

Without warning, the Red Lion's hologram roared before joining the rest of the lions in forming the Universe's only hope.

"Once all the lions are united, you will form Voltron; the most powerful warrior ever known, the Defender of the Universe."

The ex-padawan looked at the group of earthlings before trying to smother her frown. Pidge was clearly the youngest and fourteen at most, Shiro being the oldest, while the remaining three were in between that age range. They just seemed so... young. They were children about to be thrown into the cruel abyss that was war.

While she couldn't say that she regrets meeting Allura, she regrets the circumstances on which they met as well as the events that led to said circumstances.

 _All because we were children thrown into a war that shouldn't have been ours._

Meanwhile, most of the reactions were in awe at the robot warrior's magnificence, but Hunk's wasn't so... enthusiastic. "Wait, okay we're gonna be in there and flying lions, got that part. How do Lions turn into legs? Is this going to be a long trip? Because I have to pee, do you people pee?"

Shiro set his face determinedly. "We don't have much time; Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one. Keith, you stay here. If you find the Red Lion, go get it."

Allura nodded. "In the meantime, I'll get the Castle's defenses ready... They'll be sorely needed."

"I'll ready a pod and load the coordinates so that you can reach the Green Lion."

Ahsoka tried to squash down the feeling of uselessness she felt when she was arrested and standing trial in front of the Senate before stepping forward, looking at Keith. "I'll show you where you and the others will be staying."

The boy nodded stiffly and followed her out. Similar to the walk to the control room, the ex-padawan could feel Keith now more-than-slight apprehension.

"You don't trust me, do you?"

Keith grunted. "You haven't really given me a reason to."

She shrugged. "Fair enough. Have I given you a reason to distrust me? Other than what happened in the medical bay?"

"No."

"Good to know."

They slipped into silence after that. He was still staring at her, but with more curiosity this time than apprehension, to which Ahsoka sighed at. "If you have questions; then by all means, ask them."

"What are you?"

She looked at Keith before her lips quirked upwards. "Extremely straight to the point, aren't you?"

The boy's expression was unmoving, causing Ahsoka to snort under her breath before looking away. "Like I said before, what I'm able to do is a story for another time, preferably one where we're all in one place so I don't have to repeat myself."

"That's not what I meant."

"Ah, you meant what species I am?" At Keith's nod, she continued. "My kind and I are called Togruta, usually identified by our montrails and lekku."

Keith's eyebrows furrowed. "Your what?"

Ahsoka stopped and pointed to her montrails. "Montrails." She held one of her lekku in her hands. "Lekku."

He blinked before nodding in acceptance and they both continued down the hall in silence, even though she could sense he had more questions. When they reached the cabins, she looked at him again. "You can pick and choose amongst yourselves."

Keith looked at her silently for a few more moments, curiosity still etched on his face. "How did you become Allura's bodyguard?"

The ex-padawan closed her eyes as the memories of the Jedi Temple being bombed, running from the clone troopers, running from Anakin, and leaving the only home she ever really knew behind. "Yet another story for another time."

A look of what looked like understanding flickered across his features the exact same moment Allura's voice came over the intercom. "Ahsoka, report back to the control room please."

The togruta looked at the soon-to-be Red Paladin. "Feel free to look around the castle, and if you need anything just ask."

At Keith's nod, Ahsoka turned on her heel before walking back the way the came. She could feel him looking at her as she left, and silently chuckled to herself.

 _This is going to be interesting._

When she got to the control room, the holo-map was still projecting and the princess was completely alone. "You wanted to see me?"

Allura looked at her friend before sighing and dispersing the holo-map. "I don't need to be a Jedi to tell that something is bothering you earlier."

Ahsoka pursed away and looked away from the princess' azure gaze. "Allura we're asking people, _children_ , we don't even know to fight a war that's not theirs."

The princess pursed her lips. "If the Galra knew the Blue Lion was on Earth, it would have become their war by default. And the Blue Lion chose Lance, it's destiny." Allura walked over to the ex-padawan and took her hands in hers. "Besides, now that Voltron is being reformed, it will be easier to win this war."

She smiled reassuringly before squeezing Ahsoka's hands comfortingly. "We will avenge the loved ones we lost Ahsoka, I promise you."

The togruta smiled before letting Allura pull her into a warm embrace, only for her smile to melt away when her best friend couldn't see her face.

 _But here's the thing about Destiny Allura... sometimes it can be the cruelest thing someone can endure._

 **Author's Note: Nefertara is my Star Wars OC for my Star Wars fic** _ **Cat Eyes**_ **. Please check it out on Wattpad under the same username and/or here on**

 **Just a heads up; depending on how the writing process goes, The Rise of Voltron will be split into either one or two more chapters since the episode is significantly longer than the rest. Other than that one chapter will equal one episode.**

 **Obligatory season 8 acknowledgment; The ending of Voltron completely and utterly fucked. Me. Up.**

 **R.I.P. Allura you'll always be our princess.**

 **Also... Am I the only one who was a little disappointed we didn't see full-on purple Galra!Keith? Yes, we did see a very brief glimpse of fangs and Galran eyes Season 6 Episode 5 and I absolutely loved that moment, but I wouldn't have minded seeing purple Keith.**

 **On a final note; what do you guys think so far? Any improvements that can be made? Let me know :).**


	3. 3: The Rise of Voltron Pt 2

Everyone's eyes went to Hunk and Lance as they walked through the door, groaning in pain. Ahsoka raised an eyebrow-marking at the pair as Allura grinned. "You made it!"

Lance rolled his shoulder. "Yeah, just barely. That was a nightmare, I almost puked out there. I felt like Hunk!"

"How do you think I felt? I _am_ Hunk!"

Pidge looked at Shiro with a secretive grin. "Yeah, we had a tough time too."

The older man smiled back before looking at Coran. "Did we find the Red Lion yet?"

"Allura just located it, and there's a bit of good news and bad news. The good news is that the Red Lion is nearby, bad news is it's onboard that Galra ship now orbiting Arus. But wait, good news again, we're Arus!"

Ahsoka grimaced. _Read the room Coran…_

Fear flooded through the new would-be Paladins. "They're here already?!"

This time it was Coran that grimaced. "Yes, guess my calculations were a bit off… Finger counting is more of an art than a science."

The hologram that hasn't been used in several millennia fizzled to life, revealing a hulking Galra with a singular eye. "Princess Allura, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the known universe. I am here to confiscate the Lions, turn them over to me or I will destroy your planet."

The hologram fizzled out, leaving the room in fearful silence.

Shiro turned to his younger teammates. "Alright, let's not panic-"

Hunk gave the older man a scared look. "Not panic?! The scary purple alien thing is driving his battleship toward us, we only have four Lions-"

Pidge crossed her arms. "Technically only three working Lions."

He patted her shoulder. "That's right, thank you Pidge. THREE working Lions, and a castle that's like ten thousand years old!"

Coran held a finger up. "Actually it's ten thousand six hundred years old. You see it was built by my grandfather-"

Ahsoka put her hand on the older man's shoulder. "Not the time Coran."

"See, now is the perfect time to panic!"

The togruta looked at her best friend. "Allura, does the particle barrier still work?"

She grinned. "We can activate it while we figure out a plan to retrieve the Red Lion!"

Lance smirked. "Ladies you've already activated my-"

"Lance!"

Coran pulled up the schematics for the Galra ship. "The particle barrier won't hold against Zendak's ion cannon forever. Galra technology must have advanced since we fought them last."

"Panic now?!"

Shiro shook his head. "No, we just gotta figure out our plan of action… and figure it out quickly."

"I say we pop through a wormhole and live to fight another day."

Hunk stood next to his friend. "I second that! I mean we tried to find all the Lions, we gave it the old college try, couldn't do it. We only have three, we can't form Voltron… I mean I guess we could form a snake, or a worm to go through that hole you were talking about Lance!"

The tall and lanky boy grinned as he sidled up to Ahsoka and Allura. "Then it's settled. Allura and Ahsoka, you ride with me… One of you take the old guy."

Pidge frowned. "We can't just abandon Arus! The Galra will keep destroying planets and capturing prisoners until we stop them."

"If we run, maybe Sendak will follow us and leave this planet alone like when we left Earth! We form a snake-thing-a-majig and we slither out of here!"

Keith shook his head. "Sendak could destroy the planet and come after us anyway. Staying is our only option."

Lance looked at his rival before zipping his lips. "Here's an option, shut your quiznack!"

Ahsoka's eyebrows raised as Coran and Allura gasped. _Wow…_

"I don't think you're using that word correctly."

"What do you know Mullet?!"

"We're staying!"

"Leaving!"

"Staying!"

"Snake!"

Shiro stood between the four bickering humans. "Guys, stop!" He looked at Allura as they all turned away from each other. "Princess Allura, these are your lions. You've dealt with the Galra Empire before, you know what we're facing better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action?"

Ahsoka looked at her lost looking friend as she tried to search for an answer. "I… I don't know…"

"Perhaps your Father can help."

Allura looked at Coran. "My father?!"

"Come with me."

The two Alteans left the room, leaving Ahsoka with the five Earthlings. _I hope you know what you're doing..._

"So what do you think about all of this Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka looked to see that all of their attention was on her now. Her head tilted to the side as she considered the question Pidge asked her. _What do I think about all of this…_

Her lips tugged up into a grin that didn't reach her eyes, and honestly felt like a grimace. "I've been fighting in this war long before any of you were born, why stop now?"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Is that really what you think?"

The grin/grimace didn't move. "No."

Indigo eyes didn't move away. "And?"

The togruta felt a sad smile replace the grimace on her lips. "Do you want an honest answer?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Bend it a little?"

Shiro looked at his teammates. "Guys, don't force her to-"

Ahsoka held a hand up. "It's alright Shiro." She let her eyes ghost over each of the earthlings present and thought back to her conversation with Allura. _They really are so young, Pidge barely looks my age when I fought on Christophsis…_ "This war has been draining life and hope from galaxy after galaxy for ten thousand years. In my time it turned people against each other and even corrupted a whole order of warriors that were supposed to be peacekeepers. I think it's high time for it to end, and what a better way to do so then a rebellion?"

"As nice as that thought is, what good are we if we're wiped out by the Galra ship that's in orbit?"

The togruta looked at Lance before smiling. "Rebellions are built on hope, and I've found it never hurts to have a little hope on hand." Ahsoka tried her best to force the ghosts of the past away. "Even in the direst of times."

The door opened and those present looked to see Allura in her command suit and her hair up in a bun. "You five paladins were brought here for a reason. The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you, and you alone. We must fight, and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon, it is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. _We_ are the universe's only hope."

Ahsoka looked at her best friend with pride as she felt the new paladin rally at her words. She remembered whenever Allura spoke at the Senate on Coruscant, the entire chamber seemed to cling to her words.

"We're with you Princess."

Allura nodded firmly before turning on her heel. "Come with me."

When they arrived at the armory, the lights flickered on to reveal the armor she's only seen up close and personal once or twice.

"Your suits of armor."

The former padawan watched as the earthlings looked at their new uniforms. She smiled reassuringly when she saw Hunk eyeing the slim cut armor before comparing it to his own body type. "Don't worry, the armor will automatically alter itself to fit you."

Hunk grinned awkwardly at her. "Good to know."

Coran twiddled the end of his mustache as he observed the earthlings. "Princess, are you sure about this? They aren't exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer."

Allura frowned before strengthening her resolve. "No, but they're all we've got."

"Boys, it's time to suit up!"

Ahsoka's head tilted to the side. _Do they not know that Pidge is a girl?_

The togruta's eyebrow-markings raised ever-so-slightly as realization struck her. _Or she's (he's?) transitioning._ She looked at the small person's back before smiling to herself. _If so don't worry Pidge, your secret's safe with me until you're ready._

The five paladins disappeared into their individual changing rooms, and when they came out, Allura placed her hand on the seal of the bayard vault. "The Bayard is the traditional weapon of the paladins of Voltron. It takes a distinct shape for each paladin."

Ahsoka watched as the bayards took a shape for each earthling. For Keith it became a sword, Hunk an energy minigun, Lance an energy assault rifle, and Pidge an angular katar. The blue paladin smirked at the green paladin's weapon. "Awww you got a cute bayard."

The small paladin slammed the bayard into Lance's gut, smirking at the howl of pain as electric currents shocked him. "Yeah, it is pretty cute."

Ahsoka turned to look at Allura as she spoke. "Shiro, I'm afraid your bayard was lost along with its paladin."

The black paladin smiled reassuringly. "I guess I'll just have to make due."

Allura then looked at Ahsoka. "There is another option. If she permits it, Ahsoka will go along with you as an extra precaution."

All eyes went to her once more. "Are we sure about that?" Lance held his hands up in surrender. "No offense to you of course."

Ahsoka shrugged. "None taken."

The Altean princess nodded. "She is my bodyguard for a reason. Ahsoka is quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat and her skills with a lightsaber were unparalleled."

As if he remembered something, Coran ran to a capsule that was sitting in towards one of the corners of the room. "And with this she'll be even more help." He took something out of it before walking back to the togruta and offering a slim cylinder-like shape to her.

A very familiar slim cylinder shape.

Ahsoka felt her heart creep to her throat. "Is- Is that-"

"It's not an exact model. Instead of a kyber crystal, King Alfor gave me permission to use a fracture of a power crystal. But it's been tested and it turns out concentrated quintessence works just as well as any lightsaber."

The ex-padawan ignited the saber, observing the soft Altean blue color. She was reminded of her shoto lightsaber, and couldn't help but wonder how many ghosts from the past would come back to haunt her.

"Think fast!"

Ahsoka's eyes darted up to see several orbs flying towards her, and without thinking deflected and cut through each one of the orbs Coran had thrown at her. She looked at the pieces on the ground and smirked ever-so-slightly as she deactivated her new powersaber and clipped it to her belt. "Still got it."

She turned to see the paladins looking at her with a mixture of shock and being impressed, and Pidge turned to his teammates. "I'm okay with her coming, anybody else?"

"Yup."

"Totally fine with it."

Shiro nodded approvingly at the togruta. "The more skilled set of hands the better."

Keith said nothing for a moment before looking away. "Just don't fall behind."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow-marking before going to retrieve her helmet. "Don't worry, I won't."

After retrieving the helmet that went with the slim Altean blue armored jumpsuit she was given when she officially became Allura's bodyguard, she fell into step beside Pidge, who was fidgeting nervously as he/she walked along. In fact, they all seemed nervous, even Shiro with his ramrod straight posture she could see his hands were shaking. Once again she was reminded what the war did to people, what it did to people that began the fight this early in their lives.

 _No, I'm not going to let this war ruin them like it ruined me. I refuse to let that happen again._

When they reached the Bridge, Allura pulled up the hologram when they made it back to the bridge. "You'll need to retrieve the Red Lion from Sendak's ship."

Keith blinked in shock at the image. "That's a pretty big ship… how are we going to know where the Red Lion is?"

Pidge looked at the red paladin with a grin. "Well, it's not a matter of _we_ , it's a matter of you."

Hunk perked up. "Pidge is right, once we get you in you'll be able to _feel_ its presence and like, track it down."

"Yeah, you know how you felt that crazy energy while we were in the desert?"

Keith glowered at the blue paladin. "Yeah, you made fun of me for that."

Lance smirked. "And I'm proud of that, but turns out it's exactly like that mumbo-jumbo."

Allura turned from the hologram to look at the paladins. "Keith, remember the Red Lion is extremely temperamental. You'll have to earn its respect."

The red paladin was silent in thought until Shiro put a hand on his shoulder. "Alright, here's our plan of attack. The Galra Empire knows about the Blue and Yellow Lion, but they don't know that we have the Green Lion too. Hunk, Lance, you'll act as a decoy by pretending to give yourselves up. While Sendak's distracted, Keith, Pidge, Ahsoka, and I will sneak onto the ship in the Green Lion. Keith and I will find the Red Lion while Pidge and Ahsoka guard our exit." He looked at the blue and yellow paladin. "Hunk, Lance, find some way to take down that ion cannon."

Allura nodded approvingly. "Good luck Paladins."

The earthlings turned to head to their lions, Ahsoka close behind, but the bodyguard stopped when she felt a hand grasp hers. When she turned to face Allura, the princess smiled and squeezed her fingers. "Good luck Sister."

The togruta felt her heart warm. The two of them had confided in each other many times during the year before King Alfor put them in the sleep chambers, about each of their own anxieties and insecurities, and eventually it got to the point where they knew next to everything about each other and were indeed nearly sisters.

She smiled and squeezed Allura's hand back. "I'll see you soon Sister."

Ahsoka pulled away and took a deep breath as she followed the paladins out and to the hangers. When she boarded the Green Lion with the others, she couldn't help but be in awe. This was the first time she was in one of the Lions of Voltron, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Because she was going to go on any mission that required ground work, and she would make sure they all made it back.

The three paladins and the togruta were silent as the Green Lion flew through space towards the underbelly of the Galra ship, Ahsoka pursing her lips as she watched Lance and Hunk go through their part of the plan and pretended to give themselves up. She shook her head, just telling herself to have faith in them, and focusing on her part of the mission.

The Green Lion landed without incident on the ship's belly, and Ahsoka slipped her helmet on before following the paladins out into open space. She kept an eye out for any stray flyers as Pidge cut a hole into the ship's hull, and slipped in after each paladin went through. The four of them made their way through the ventilation system before dropping down into an empty hangar.

Lance's voice came across the comms. "Pidge, what's your ETA?"

The small paladin landed and his/her helmet phased as Ahsoka landed next to him/her. "We're in."

Ahsoka glanced around the hanger, which was thankfully empty, and moved until they were in a hallway. The togruta felt a sudden uneasiness from Shiro, and her gaze went to him as he winced. It almost looked like what he was remembering physically pained him "Shiro, what wrong?"

"I've been here before… After I was taken by the Galra cruiser off Kerberos, they brought us here."

Pidge stood up from his/her crouched position. "So, that means your other crew members, they might be held captive here. We… We've got to rescue them."

Ahsoka pursed her lips as the emotions from the two paladins grow more tense. Something was off here, there was something that Pidge wasn't saying that was bubbling up in him/her.

"Pidge, we don't have time. We have to get the Red Lion and get back to Arus."

"But we can't just leave prisoners here!"

"Look, no one understands that more than me, but in war we have to make hard choices."

Ahsoka winced at the many memories of making choices that determined her survival during battle, and the choices that meant other people getting hurt. _You're not the only one._

"No! Commander Holt is my father. He and my brother were the ones on the Kerberos Mission with you."

 _Ah, so this is personal for him/her._

"Commander Holt is your father?"

"Yes! I've been searching everywhere for him and my brother and I'm not going to give up when I'm this close. I won't!"

"I'm coming with you."

All eyes went to the black paladin.

"What?"

"I remember where the prisoners are held. Keith, you go find the Red Lion." Shiro looked at her. "Ahsoka, go with Keith and watch his back. We'll rendezvous at the castle once you've found the Red Lion."

The ex-padawan nodded as Shiro looked at Keith. "Remember, patience yields focus."

Whatever he was going to say next was cut off by the sounds of footsteps, and Shiro and Pidge darted off in one direction while Ahsoka and Keith ran in the other. The two kept running until Keith slid to a stop in front of the Galra insignia, but vibrations coming from the left had Ahsoka grabbing the red paladin's wrist and pulling him in the opposite direction.

"What are you-"

Ahsoka let go of his wrist and carefully peeked around the corner. "There was a patrol coming from the left."

She didn't need to be looking at him to see he was confused. "How did you-"

The ex-padawan turned to him before tapping a finger against her montrals. "Echolocation."

"...Okay."

Ahsoka inwardly smirked at his confused expression before turning to listen for any incoming patrols. At the togruta's nod, the two darted forward before ducking behind another corner. She turned towards Keith with a raised eyebrow marking. "Feel anything yet?"

The red paladin shook his head before glancing around the hallway. The bodyguard followed him as he darted down hallway after hallway, until the two of them eventually came back to the same hallway with the same Galra insignia.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Ahsoka grit her teeth when she saw he was going to run down the opposite hallway they started with before grabbing the sides of Keith's helmet so they were eye-to-eye with each other. "Stop!" Ice blue eyes stared into shocked indigo ones, and she kept her hands where they were. "This isn't getting us anywhere, so just stop and breathe. Remember what Shiro said before?"

Keith took a deep breath and let his eyes drift closed. "Patience yields focus."

The togruta used The Force to boost his concentration before slowly removing her hands as she felt the human reach out. Moments later, the paladin's eyes opened and he smirked. "Gotcha."

Ahsoka smiled as she followed Keith around one corner after another, keeping her senses open for any patrols, artificial or otherwise. Thankfully they got to the hanger without much incident, and there was the Red Lion in all its glory.

Keith grinned and walked up the shielded lion. "Bingo." He placed his hand on the shield. "Let's get out of here. Open up."

The shield remained firmly in place. "It's me. Keith. Your buddy."

Ahsoka cringed. _Oh by The Force_ …

"It's me, Keith! I am your paladin!"

"Prove it."

Moments after the words left her mouth, and mere seconds after Keith turned to look at her, blasts from Galra drones had Ahsoka igniting her saber and the red paladin raising a shield and summoning his bayard. The ex-padawan spared him a single glance out of the corner of her eye after deflecting a shot. "Prove to the Red Lion that you're it's paladin. Remember you have to earn its respect!"

She turned away and let herself fall into a rhythm that had yet to be forgotten, slashing whatever drone came into her line of sight, then blocking and redirecting blasts towards the drones that fired them. She used The Force to push a few back to the wall before using again to crush more. It all felt like one fluid movement to her.

" _Nice move Snips!"_

Ahsoka's breath caught in her throat as she turned to see Anakin block a blast from a droid before slashing one that got too close. Then suddenly she wasn't in the hanger with Keith anymore, but on another planet fighting off droids with Anakin and the 501st legion.

 _The padawan felt herself smirk as she blocked and slashed any droid that came near her. "Thanks! Better catch up Master, I'm ahead by twenty!"_

 _Anakin grinned as he slashed through a droid. "Don't count me out just yet!"_

 _From their left, Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Might we save the banter for after the battle?"_

" _Look_ out!"

She blinked and was back in the hanger with Keith in front of her, shielding her from a few stray shots. But a few well placed ones sent them flying back into the control panel. As they picked themselves up, Ahsoka saw a plan form in the paladin's eyes. "Hang on!"

The togruta grabbed the control panel just as Keith slammed a fist on the button for the hanger door. Her grip quickly turned white-knuckled as the drones and other debris flew out into space. One particular piece of debris managed to hit Keith, causing one hand to let go of the panel. On instinct, she shot a hand out and wrapped her hand around his forearm, but a stray piece of debris knocking into both of them sent them careening into space.

Panicked ice irises looked into equally panicked indigo ones as speckled blackness swirled around them. "Don't let-"

She was cut off when she felt a surge of Quintessence from inside the ship, and moments later the Red Lion swooped out and snatched them from the open air. When they were safe inside, Ahsoka looked at Keith with a small grin. "Never had a doubt."

The red paladin smirked as he climbed into the pilot's seat and gripped the controls. "Good Kitty. Let's roll."

Ahsoka gripped the pilot's seat as the Red Lion took off towards Arus. Soon enough, the other paladins' voices came across the comms system.

"You guys made it!"

"Kitty Rose has left the stage!"

"Let's get the heck out of here!"

"I hope I stopped that cannon. I could barely make a dent in it."

Even though it was far from over, Ahsoka let herself sigh in relief and her eyes drift closed briefly. When she opened them again, she saw Keith looking at her from the corner of her eye. "Yes?"

"What happened in the hanger? You were there physically but not mentally."

Ahsoka felt her mood drop and she looked away. "Just some unwanted ghosts from the past." She took a deep breath to ward away the remnants of the memory before looking at the paladin. "It won't happen during a fight again, you have my word."

Indigo eyes stayed on her face for a while before looking away. "You were a pretty good fighter out there."

The togruta felt a little bit of heat warm her cheeks as a small smile spread across her lips. "Not too bad yourself."

They said nothing else as the Red Lion entered the Arusian atmosphere, and when they landed in the hangar where the Black Lion was Ahsoka turned and smiled at Keith. "Guess this is my stop for now, good luck Keith. Remember to trust your instincts."

Even though she rushed out of the Red Lion, she heard the paladin's voice follow her out. "...You too."

She looked over her shoulder as the other lions landed in the hangar. _And good luck to the rest of you, paladins._

Allura spared her a single glance when she walked onto the bridge, and ex-padawan watched and waited with the two alteans as the hangar door opened. Almost instantly, the Black Lion roared. Coran cheered while Allura and Ahsoka sighed in relief, but their joy was short-lived as the castle alerted them to the Galran ship entering the atmosphere.

"Oh Quiznak!

Allura set her brow determinedly. "Sendak is entering the Arusian atmosphere, we need Voltron now!"

The five Lions of Voltron shot out from the castle and landed in front of it just as the first shot from the ion cannon fired and collided with the particular barrier. Ahsoka braced herself against her own defense station as the blast shook the very ground the castle stood on.

Hunk's voice came across the comm system as soon as the castle stopped shaking. "Man those Galra guys repair things fast!"

"The barrier gets weaker with every blast. Once that shield goes down, the castle will be defenseless!"

Allura grit her teeth. "I can give you cover with the castle defenses for a while, but you have to form Voltron now or we'll all be destroyed!"

"Jeez, no pressure."

The barrier was hit again, but this time the particle barrier crackled under the pressure.

Shiro's voice was strong and determined as it came across the comm system. "Listen up Team Voltron! The only way to succeed is to give it all you've got! This looks bad, but we can do this! Are you with me?"

There was silence across the comm system until Hunk piped up. "I'm nodding, is everyone else nodding?"

"Yes."

"Let's do this!"

"Uh, how?"

"Good question. Does anyone have any ideas of how to form Voltron?"

"I don't see a 'combine into a giant robot' button anywhere on my dashboard."

As Ahsoka watched the Lions dodged the incoming fire, a shadow that had become all too familiar since leaving the Order crept its way into her subconscious.

" _Useless."_

She winced as the voice of her once friend Barriss Offee echoed in her ears. _Not her, not right now._

" _Here are the Paladins of Voltron, risking their lives and you're just standing here doing nothing."_

Ahsoka clenched her eyes shut. _Stop, you're not real. You're long gone._

Barriss' voice scoffed. " _As long as you're alive, as long as your guilt still exists, I'll always be real. Because you were too weak to do anything!"_

 _ENOUGH._

Her eyes snapped open and she warded her shadow of doubt away from her subconscious. She wouldn't fail again, she _refused_ to fail again.

"Hey… wait, wait, wait! I feel something!"

"I do too. I feel it. It's like we're all being pulled in the same direction!"

"Uh, guys, I think I know why… Look up."

Ahsoka felt her heart drop to her chest when she realized what was going on. The lions were slowly being pulled towards the certain doom that was Sendak's ship.

"What the cheese?"

"Sendak's ship is sucking us in like a black hole!"

A horrible sense of dread wrapped around her neck as another shot from the ion cannon completely shattered the barrier. She darted for Allura and caught her best friend as she fell to the ground, and the two looked up at the hologram helplessly.

"I don't care what you say Shiro. I'm panicking now!"

Hunk's screams were quickly followed by the other paladins' voices. "It can't end here!"

"This is it!"

"It's been an honor flying with you boys."

Allura and Ahsoka stood up together, but kept holding each other as they watched the Lions edged closer to capture. The princess tightened her own hold on the togruta in despair. "No… no not like this!"

 _Please not like this. We have too much to fight for, too much to live for..._

"No! We can do this. We have to believe in ourselves, we can't give up. We are the universe's only hope. Everyone is relying on us. We can't fail, we won't fail! If we work together, we'll win together!"

Ahsoka tightened her grip on her best friend as she felt a surge of Quintessence from the Lions as they roared in unison. _They're going to do it… By The Force they're going to do it!_

The ion blast that would have obliterated the castle veered off course and struck the mountain range behind them. No one present on the bridge dared to breathe the hologram showed the universe's only hope, standing tall and strong.

"I can't believe it!"

"We formed Voltron!"

"I'm a leg!"

"How are we doing this?"

"I don't know, but let's get that cannon!"

The three beings out of time watched as Voltron ripped the ion cannon off of the ship before flinging it away. In quick succession, the universe's greatest weapon blasted holes into the ship until the entire structure blew up. When Voltron landed, victorious, Allura, Ahsoka, and Coran all looked at each other with relief.

"I think we have a chance of winning this war."

Coran grinned. "Ahsoka, I was thinking the same thing."

They watched as Voltron separated back into the individual Lions and rushed from the Bridge and made their ways to the outside of the castle. By the time they made it out, the lions had landed and the five earthlings were standing in front of them.

Allura grinned. "Good work Paladins!"

Lance smirked exhaustedly at the princess as he took his helmet off. "Thanks pretty lady."

Shiro patted Keith on the shoulder. "We did it."

The red paladin took his own helmet off, smiling in relief. "Heck yeah we did."

"How did we do it?"

Hunk yanked his helmet off. "I was just, like, screaming the whole time. Maybe that did it."

Ahsoka looked at Pidge as he/she put his/her glasses on with a disheartened frown. Shiro noticed too and placed a hand on his teammates shoulder. "We're not going to stop searching until we find your brother and father. Wherever they are, I know they'd be proud of you."

The ex-padawan felt her resolve strengthen. _Pidge I swear to the very Force itself, we will find your family. I refuse to let this war destroy yours like it did mine._

"We won the battle, but the war has only just begun. I'm afraid Zarkon will not stop until he gets these lions."

Coran grinned. "Good thing you paladins know what you're doing, because you're going to have to form Voltron again and again."

"Totally... Wait, what?"

Everyone blinked as the advisor's words sank in.

"We barely survived forming Voltron this one time."

"And you only had to fight on ship! Wait until you have to fight a whole fleet of them!"

Ashoka inwardly sighed as she stepped forward. _Coran we really need to work on your 'reading the room' skills._ "This isn't going to be easy, but the three of us will be here to help the new Defenders of the Universe."

The paladins seem to freeze at her words, realization once again sinking in. The shocked atmosphere was broken when Shiro spoke. "Defenders of the Universe, huh?" He and everyone else turned to look at the Lions. "That's got a nice ring to it."

As the togruta gazed up at the mechanical lions, one thing was clear. Save for Allura and Coran, everyone she loved were now ghosts of the past. She's not sure what the Galra Empire did to the Jedi Order, and frankly she's terrified to find out, but she would be damned if she didn't fight for them, just as she would fight for the new Paladins of Voltron.

And that was a promise.

 **Author's Note: School sucked, COVID-19 sucks, everything just really sucks right now doesn't it?**

 **I really don't have an update schedule in mind, but I do want to get back in touch with writing. On that note I'm sorry if my writing is bad right now, like I said I'm trying to get back into the groove of writing.**

 **That being said, regarding Pidge's pronouns in this chapter** _ **please**_ **let me know if I'm going about it in the wrong way. I tried to write as Ahsoka not knowing which ones to use because she's not certain if Pidge is transitioning from male to female or vice versa, but also respecting Pidge's privacy on the matter and not outright asking her.**

 **Please stay safe out there everyone.**


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